Typhoon Dujuan leaves 2 dead in Taiwan as it hurtles towards China

Typhoon Dujuan, which made landfall in the north-eastern part of Taiwan on the evening of 28 September, has left two people dead and injured more than 320 people. The category 4 typhoon was moving at a speed of 227km/h (141mph) as it headed towards Taiwan's northern county of Yilan, before hurtling into China.

The typhoon is expected to hit China's mainland on 29 September. The country has issued a red alert over the storm, which is the highest possible warning. According to the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre, the typhoon will strike parts of Fujian, Zhejiang and Shanghai. At least 7,000 people have been evacuated from Green Island and Orchid Island.

People walk past uprooted trees and damaged motorcycles, in the aftermath of Typhoon Dujuan in Taipei, TaiwanREUTERS/Pichi Chuang

The typhoon has left 1.8 million homes without power in Taiwan. Schools, offices and the stock market will remain shut on 29 September. Ferry and rail services have been suspended while more than 600 international and domestic flights were cancelled after the Central Weather Bureau issued a warning on 27 September about the impending landfall of the typhoon. As many as 24,000 troops have been kept on standby for disaster relief and evacuations. Besides, response centres have been set up in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

The typhoon's landfall in the north-eastern part of Taiwan has brought more than 700 millimetres of rain over the last 24 hours. Some other areas have received more than 900 millimetres, which is about one third the average annual rainfall for Taiwan.